Folding box.



G. DIEGKMANN.

FOLDING BOX.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1912. RENEWED APR. 2, 1913.

ITNESSES: I

MM 4 P V 75 ffi;

; v a UNIf'lEi)f STATES r TENr OFFICE.

GUSTAV nrno'x'ivmivmor SAN rnn vcisooicnmronnm.

FOLDING BOX.

1 Specification, of Letters Patent;

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

f Appli cation filed zrinyiz, 1912, Serial No. 708,942. Renewed April 2, 1913. SeriaI No. 758,487.

- To all whom it may) concern 1 useful Improvements in Folding Boxes, of

p Be it known that I, IGnsfrAv DmoxMaN v, a citizen of theUnited States, 'residi-ngin.

the city and county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have, invented new and which the following isa specification.

. This invention relates to a folding box,

and particularly pertainsto a device for itsfopen or, its folded po videa box orcrate whichmay be folded so as to occupy a, comparatively small space when not in use, thus:facilitating handling,

storing and shipping the box when empty.

fA further object is to provide a simple and efficient means for rigidly: locking the box or crate in its open orclosed position.

yyAnother object isto provide a 'foldable box which is strong and durable, and which means for lockingthe sides and ends tomay be easily and quickly closedinto its folded position, and unfolded into its open positiona a The invention prlmarlly resides 1n forming a box or crate w th hinged sldes and ends, witha removable top, and providing gether in their open'position, means for at showing the box in a partially folded posi- 'taching the, top to the sides and ends, and

means by which the sides, ends and top of the box-or crate may be securely clamped to the bottom thereof ina folded position.

The invention further consists of the partsand the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- F'gure 1 is a perspective view of the box in its open position. ,Fig. 2 is a similar view i section on the line Y-m-Y of Fig. 3.

In the drawings A- representsjthe bottom of the box which is rectangular in outline and which may be ofany suitable propora I tions'and construction. Mounted on the underside of; the bottom A andextending, transversely thereacro'ss at its ends, [are cleats 2,.which serve as spacing members to support the bottom [A clearof the surface upon which the box frests.

Formed on the longitudinal edges of the bottom A are upwardly extending flanges The end panels. 5 of the box are hingedly connected to the upper face of the bottom A by means of hinges C, to swing inwardly so as to rest on the bottom A between the flanges 3, when in their folded'position. The end panels 5 are formedat their ends with longitudinally extending grooves 6,

which are designed to engageribsor tongues.

7 formed on theinnerl faces of theside pans els 4, adjacenttheir ends. :Theside panels l are' designed to have-suflicient outward movement from their. vertical position to I admit of the ribs or tongues? being inserted inthe grooves 6 on the end panels 5, when the latter are in avertical position; the bot-- tom edges of theside panels 41 being beveled on their outer edge to permitof this outward movement.

Mounted on "the outer panels 4, a short distance from their upper edges, are inwardly extending spring clamp members 8, formed with hook-shaped ends,

and mounted on the upper corners of the end panels 5 arefangle plates '9, which are designed to be engaged by the hooked portions ofthe spring clampfmembers 8 when the ,side and end panels are disposed in their vertical positions, .asshown in Figs. 3 and 5; recesses 10 beingformed in the end panels 5 within the angle formed by the plates 9to admit of the insertion of the fingers to facilitate grasping the ends of the spring clampmembers to disengage them from the plates 9. i

The top or cover of the'zbox is indicated at 11, and is here shown as constructed of slats mounted on cleats 12 which extend transversely of the cover adjacent its ends;

the cleats 12 being designed to contact the inner faces, of theend panels 5 when the cover is placed on the box to prevent longitudinal movement thereof. The outer ends of the cleats 12 are cut away to form shoulders'13, which engage the side panels 40f the box, as shown inFig. 3, to prevent.

sidewise movement of the cover. I

Mounted on the outer ends of the cover 11 are downwardly extending spring clamp members 14:, which are formed with hookshapedcuter ends, and are designed to enemas of the side" gage the angle plates 9, as shown in Figs. 1, 8, and 4:, to secure the cover 11 to the sides and ends of the box, when in its open position.

When it is desired to fold the box, the cover 11 is removed by disengaging the spring clamp members 14 from the angle plates 9. The cover 11 is then inverted and the bottom A is placed thereon with the cleats 2 on the bottom A paralleling the cleats 12 on the top 11, as shown in Fig. 2.

The spring clamp members 14 then extend upwardly adjacent the ends of the bottom A and engage the upper edge thereof, so as to securely connect the cover 11 to the bot tom A; the lower leaf of each hinge 0 forming a plate which is engaged by the hooked.

ends of the clamps 14c. -'Ihespring clamp members 8 on the side panels 4 are then disengaged from the angle plates 9, and the side panels 4- are sprung outwardly sufil ciently'far to disengage the ribs '7 fromthe grooves 6 on the end panels 5." This permits of the end panels 5being then folded inwardly against the bottom-A, as shown in -Fig. 2; The sidepanels at are then folded inwardly on top of the end panels the flanges 3 being of such height as to allow the panels 4- to lie flat on the end panels 5. j The spring clamp members 8 now extending downwardly'so that their hooked outer ends will engage-the end edge of the bottom A and securely clamp the side members 4: to the bottom A in a folded position. Notches 15 are formed in the cleats 2 to admit of the spring clamp members 8 engaging the bottom .A; 1

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a box which may be folded into a compact space and be securely clamped together in its folded position, and which may be easily and quickly unfolded into its open position by releasing the spring clamp members 8 from their engagement with the bottom A. and repositioning the sides and ends of the box in a vertical position, with the ribs 7 extending into the grooves 6 so as-to retain the ends 5 in an upright position; the clamp members 8 being engaged with the angle plates 9 to hold the side'panels in tight contact with the end panels and prevent the sides being spread by the'contents of the box. 1

When it is desired to use the box withoutthe cover 11, the latter may remainin its position on the bottom of the box, in readi ness to be removed when its use is requ1red.

- tecting the upper corners of the box against wear and damage.

' .Great strength and rigidity of thebox,

when in its openposition, isobtained by the act to prevent the tongue and groove joint being separated, thereby elfeetively locking the side andend, panels of, the box together at the corners.

Having thus described myinvention, what 'I- claim and desire to secure Patent, is"-' v p T 1. In a' foldable box having hinged side and end panels and-a removable cover, means for fastening'the side and end panels and cover together, comprising angle plates mounted on the outer upper corners of the end panels, and spring clamp members carried by the side panels and cover, engageable with saidangle plates. v r

2. A foldable box having inwardly sWingby Letters ing hinged .side" and"endpanels,' said end panels formed with longi-tudinal grooves at their endsiand recesses on their outer faces adjacent their upper corners, angle plates on the end panels adjacent-the recesses, ribs on the side-panels engageable with the grooves on theend panels, and spring clamp members on the side panels engageable with the angle plates. v

3; A foldable box having inwardly swinging hinged side and end panels, said end panels formed with longitudinal grooves at their ends and recesses on their outer facesadjacent their: upper corners, angle plates on the end panels ad acentthe recesses, I'lbS on the side panels engagea'ble' with the grooves on the end panels, spring clamp members on-the side panels engageable with the angle plates, a cover for the box, and spring clamp members on the cover engageable with the angle plates. v V V 4. Afoldablebox'comprising in combination, a. bottom, transverse cleats on the underside thereof, upwardly projecting fiangeson the longitudinaledges thereof, side panels hinged to said flanges, ribs on the inner faces of'said side panels adjacent their ends,'xend panels hinged onfthe bottom to swing inwardly, having longitudinal grooves on their ends for the receptionof the ribs on'the side panels, angle plates carried on" the end panels adjacent their corners, spring clamp members carried by the" side panels, engage able with the anglefplates when the box is in its open position, and engageable withthe bottom of the box when it is inits folded position.

5. A foldable bQX comprising in roman tion, a bottom, transverse cleats on the un derside thereof, upwardly projecting flanges on the-longitudinal edges thereof,side panels hinged to said flanges, ribs on the inner faces of said side panels adjacent their wendsf end panels hinged on the bottom to. swing inwardly, having longitudinal grooves on their ends for the reception of the ribs on the side panels, angle plates carried on the end panels adjacent their corners, spring clamp members carried bythe side panels,

engageable with the angle vplates when the box is in its open position, andengageable with the bottom of the box when it is in its folded position, a removable cover for the box, and spring clamp members on the cover engageable with the angle plates when the box is unfolded and engageable with the bottom of the box when folded.

6. A foldable box comprising combina-' tlon, a bottom, transverse cleats on the underside thereof, upwardly projecting flanges 1 on the-longitudinal edges thereof, side panels hinged to said flanges, ribs on the inner faces of said side panels adjacent their ends, end panels hinged-Lon the bottom to d swing inwardly, having longitudinal grooves on their endsfor the receptionof the ribs on the side panels, angle plates carried on the end panels adjacent their corners, spring clamp members carried by the side panels,

,engageable with-the angle plates when the box is in its open position, and engageable folded position, a removable, cover for the box, spring clamp members on the cover engageable with the angle plates when the box is unfoldedpand' engageable with the.

bottom of the box when folded, and'trans verse cleats on the cover engageable with the side and end panels to hold the cover against longitudinal and transverse movemerit.-

7 In a foldable, box, a bottom, sides hinged to the sides of the bottom, end'panels hinged to the ends of the bottom, a top, and

, fastening means depending from the top and being of a length for engagement with the end panels to hold the top in operative position, and when said top has its under face seated against the under face of the bottom to have its said fastening means extend up from beneath the bottom to detachably en- 7 gage the ends thereof. 1 p i 8. In a foldable box, a bottom, sides hinged to the sides of the bottom, end panels hinged to the ends of the bottom, a top, w spring catches depending from the top, keepers on the end panels for engagement with Gopies of this patent may be obtained for said catches to hold the top in operative position, said catches being ofa length so that when said top has its under face seated against the under face of the bottom said catches will extend from beneath the bottom to automatically snap over and engage the ends of the upper face of the bottom when the end panels are in collapsed position.

9. In a foldable box, a bottom, sides hinged to the sides of the bottom, end panels hinged to the ends of the bottom, a removable cover, spring catches depending from the cover and spring catches extending in-- wardly from the ends of-the sides, and keep ers on the end panels, said keepers having horizontal parts which engage the catches of the cover and vertical parts which engage the catches of the sides. j I g 10. In a foldable box, a bottom, sides hingedto the sides of the bottom, end panels hinged to the ends of the bottom, a removable cover, spring catches. dependingfrom the cover and spring catches'extending in wardly 'from the ends of the sides, and

:means onthe end panels] to engage the catches of the cover and sides, the catches of the sideszwhen the parts are in folded position engaging the under face of the bottom,

and the cover being adapted to be placed beneath the bottom so that the cover catches will engage the upper face of thebottom. 11. In a foldable box, a bottom, sides hinged to the sides of the bottom, end panels "hingedto the ends of the bottom, a removable cover, spring catches depending from v the cover and spring catches extending in wardly from the ends of the sides, said catches having their free ends disposed adjacent to each other, the end panels having recesses therein each of which is common to and into which the free ends of a pair of adjacent catches project, and keeper means at themarginal edges of each recess having and a vertical part to engage the side catches. a 3 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses. H i GUSTAV DIECKMANN..

WVitnesses WALTER REIMERs, G NEVIEVE S. DONELIN.

five cents each, by addressing the f Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

. horizontal parts to engage the cover catches 

